Nancy From United States of America, joined May 2004, 467 posts, RR: 6 Posted (7 years 4 months 1 week 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 1416 times:
With themes like "New Orleans Culture" (as in mold), the "Blue Roof Blues" (refering to the tarps that cover many roofs) and the Willie Wonka float (refering to Mayor Nagin) NO is going all out for Mardi Gras. I wish I could be there!
Tom in NO From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 7194 posts, RR: 40 Reply 1, posted (7 years 4 months 1 week 2 days 5 hours ago) and read 1413 times:
Quoting Nancy (Thread starter): NO is going all out for Mardi Gras. I wish I could be there!
All of us here are looking forward to it.....it will definitely be one to remember!
Tom at MSY
"The criminal ineptitude makes you furious"-Bruce Springsteen, after seeing firsthand the damage from Hurricane Katrina
Mirrodie From United States of America, joined Apr 2000, 7422 posts, RR: 65 Reply 2, posted (7 years 4 months 1 week 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 1396 times:
wow, you know, that is awesome! Hope you guys will put up a huge thread here with photos. especially beads earners!
Forum moderator 2001-2010; He's a pedantic, pontificating, pretentious bastard, a belligerent old fart, a worthless st
Superfly From Thailand, joined May 2000, 38590 posts, RR: 80 Reply 3, posted (7 years 4 months 1 week 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 1391 times:
I have a sick feeling it wont ever be the same. I am sure it will be very sterile and rated G.
Who will the corporate sponsors be? Verizon Wireless Mardi Gras, AT&T Mardi Gras, Cellular One Mardi Gras?
Phxairfan From United States of America, joined Jun 2001, 811 posts, RR: 9 Reply 4, posted (7 years 4 months 1 week 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 1356 times:
Quoting Superfly (Reply 3): Who will the corporate sponsors be? Verizon Wireless Mardi Gras, AT&T Mardi Gras, Cellular One Mardi Gras?
N1120A From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 25869 posts, RR: 79 Reply 5, posted (7 years 4 months 1 week 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 1343 times:
Quoting Superfly (Reply 3): I have a sick feeling it wont ever be the same. I am sure it will be very sterile and rated G.
Who will the corporate sponsors be? Verizon Wireless Mardi Gras, AT&T Mardi Gras, Cellular One Mardi Gras?
Don't worry about it turning sterile Larry, New Orleanians will never let that happen. Then again, the daytime parades themselves are not really the debauched affairs everyone thinks of, they have always been family events. It is the night time festivities in the Vieux Carre that live up to the reputation.
As far as the corporate sponsors go, they are not going to get that kind of naming rights. They will merely be given credit in a way not to upstage the festivities. The clean up is sponsored by Glad Trash Bags (which I think is actually cool). No idea if anyone has decided to sponsor the big day itself
BTW, a news update from the Krewe de Vieux parade tonight, lots of people stumbling back from the Quarter and Marigny tonight decked out in beads and with massive smiles on their faces. Vieux picked a perfect theme (C'est Levee) to kick it off and I am sure other Krewes like Thoth, Bachus and Zulu will do the same.
Laissez les bon temps roulez!! La Nouvelle Orleans vit et nous sommes danser
Mangeons les French fries, mais surtout pratiquons avec fierte le French kiss
N1120A From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 25869 posts, RR: 79 Reply 7, posted (7 years 4 months 1 week 1 day 20 hours ago) and read 1341 times:
Quoting Sebolino (Reply 6): You mean "C'est la vie" I guess.
Actually, they did it as a play on words and a way of bringing some leveety (sorry, I couldn't help myself ) to the situation.
Mangeons les French fries, mais surtout pratiquons avec fierte le French kiss
Srbmod From United States of America, joined Mar 2001, 16896 posts, RR: 51 Reply 8, posted (7 years 4 months 1 week 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 1328 times:
Some of the floats planned for the various parades:
I Drove My Chevy To The Levee, But the Levee Was Gone
New Orleans Culture [Culture as in mold]
Give Me That Mold Time Religion
Fridge Over Troubled Waters
One of the floats in the Krewe du Vieux parade was asking France to buy back Louisiana.
MSYtristar From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 6251 posts, RR: 51 Reply 9, posted (7 years 4 months 1 week 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 1322 times:
I took a drive down there last night at the request of my friend Laura to see some of the parade; alas, I got down there too late. I did, however, see some of the krewe members walking back to the staging lot on North Rampart Street, and I saw some of the floats, including the Grand Marshall float: FEMA's Michael Brown. It was classic. Also I caught a glimpse of that "Let France Buy Back Louisiana" float. Brilliant stuff. And that's really not a bad idea actually!
The people of New Orleans have always had a great sense of humor...heck you have to if you live here.
It was great to see the French Quarter packed to the gills last night, and it will only get busier as MG day draws closer.
The next great "neighborhood" parade is the Krere D'Etat. I might join in on that one.
N1120A From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 25869 posts, RR: 79 Reply 11, posted (7 years 4 months 1 week 1 day 16 hours ago) and read 1317 times:
Quoting Srbmod (Reply 8): I Drove My Chevy To The Levee, But the Levee Was Gone
New Orleans Culture [Culture as in mold]
Give Me That Mold Time Religion
Fridge Over Troubled Waters
Quoting Srbmod (Reply 8): One of the floats in the Krewe du Vieux parade was asking France to buy back Louisiana.
Hey, I wonder if France could simply give the US a refund of the $15 million bargain price and call it a day?
Mangeons les French fries, mais surtout pratiquons avec fierte le French kiss
Tom in NO From United States of America, joined Nov 1999, 7194 posts, RR: 40 Reply 13, posted (7 years 4 months 1 week 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 1290 times:
Quoting Srbmod (Reply 8): Some of the floats planned for the various parades:
Add to your list:
"1001 Nights Without Electricity"
"Buy Us Back, Chirac"
Tom at msy
"The criminal ineptitude makes you furious"-Bruce Springsteen, after seeing firsthand the damage from Hurricane Katrina
KaiGywer From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 12043 posts, RR: 42 Reply 14, posted (7 years 4 months 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 1254 times:
I'm going to Hattiesburg, MS in March to say goodbye to my brother-in-law who is heading to Iraq. Even though it is after Mardi Gras is over, would it be worth driving the 110 miles each way to see New Orleans? Is there anything to do there?
MSYtristar From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 6251 posts, RR: 51 Reply 15, posted (7 years 4 months 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 1252 times:
Quoting KaiGywer (Reply 14): Even though it is after Mardi Gras is over, would it be worth driving the 110 miles each way to see New Orleans? Is there anything to do there?
It's worth the trip if you've never been here before. And you don't really have to drive. You can take Amtrak. It leaves HBG at about 5:00pm daily (if it's on time) and gets to NOL at about 7:50pm. Coming back it leaves NOL at 7:20am, and gets to HBG at about 9:45am. Pretty cheap too. Check it out.
The French Quarter is beautiful...lots of great restaurants, clubs, and stores to check out. Also, take a ride on the Steamboat Natchez. Harrah's Casino will be open again at that time...even if you're not a gambler, they have some neat things in there, including a great show free show called Masquerade. The Audobon Zoo is one of the best zoos in the U.S...they have a great swamp exhibit...it's only open on the weekends right now, but it's worth a visit if you're into that sort of stuff.
KaiGywer From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 12043 posts, RR: 42 Reply 16, posted (7 years 4 months 1 week 15 hours ago) and read 1246 times:
Quoting MSYtristar (Reply 15): It's worth the trip if you've never been here before. And you don't really have to drive. You can take Amtrak. It leaves HBG at about 5:00pm daily (if it's on time) and gets to NOL at about 7:50pm. Coming back it leaves NOL at 7:20am, and gets to HBG at about 9:45am. Pretty cheap too. Check it out.
We'd most likely just drive. Easier and more convenient.
So the city still has plenty of sights? Not too much damage left after Katrina? We will most likely leave Friday morning (17th) and then back the same night. Drive back up to Minnesota on Saturday afternoon.
N1120A From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 25869 posts, RR: 79 Reply 17, posted (7 years 4 months 1 week 14 hours ago) and read 1238 times:
Quoting KaiGywer (Reply 16): So the city still has plenty of sights? Not too much damage left after Katrina? We will most likely leave Friday morning (17th) and then back the same night. Drive back up to Minnesota on Saturday afternoon.
Pretty much all of the famous things to do in New Orleans are back up and running. Additionally, you can take a look for yourself at a lot of the damage that actually did happen as you come into town through some of the most affected areas. Mind the parade routes when you get into town, the ways to get around them are not particularly intuitive and you generally need to be local to figure them out. All that said, come on down and spend your money, Louisiana thanks you for it
Mangeons les French fries, mais surtout pratiquons avec fierte le French kiss
KaiGywer From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 12043 posts, RR: 42 Reply 18, posted (7 years 4 months 1 week 12 hours ago) and read 1224 times:
Quoting N1120A (Reply 17): Pretty much all of the famous things to do in New Orleans are back up and running.
Can you give me ideas as to what to do. We have one day to spend in New Orleans, and would like to do the most interesting things. Are there still boobs on Bourbon St?
N1120A From United States of America, joined Dec 2003, 25869 posts, RR: 79 Reply 19, posted (7 years 4 months 1 week 12 hours ago) and read 1223 times:
Quoting KaiGywer (Reply 18): Can you give me ideas as to what to do. We have one day to spend in New Orleans, and would like to do the most interesting things. Are there still boobs on Bourbon St?
There are boobs of all kinds on Bourbon . It all depends on how late you will be here. For Mardi Gras, I normally recommend against Bourbon, because it is a mess, but with the thinner crowds this year, I would consider giving it a shot. Additionally, there are the local favorites of Frenchman and the Fauborg Marigny.
Mangeons les French fries, mais surtout pratiquons avec fierte le French kiss
KaiGywer From United States of America, joined Oct 2003, 12043 posts, RR: 42 Reply 21, posted (7 years 4 months 6 days 11 hours ago) and read 1193 times:
Quoting N1120A (Reply 19): There are boobs of all kinds on Bourbon .
DrDeke From United States of America, joined Jun 2005, 830 posts, RR: 1 Reply 22, posted (7 years 4 months 5 days 4 hours ago) and read 1166 times:
Quoting MSYtristar (Reply 15): And you don't really have to drive. You can take Amtrak.
I wasn't there during Mardi Gras, but I visited New Orleans once and it was in fact pretty cool.
Even the Amtrak station turned out to be an interesting enough place on my trip. I was on spring break and was taking the following train trip which, due to Amtrak's odd pricing schemes, was much cheaper than a round trip ticket to either New Orleans or Washington D.C.:
Ann Arbor MI -> Chicago IL -> New Orleans LA -> Jacksonville FL -> Washington DC -> Toledo OH -> Detroit MI (via bus) -> Dearborn MI (via bus) -> Ann Arbor MI (via bus)
My train arrived in New Orleans around 2pm. I walked down to the French Quarter and hung out there for a while, had dinner, etc. My train to Jacksonville was supposed to leave around 10pm that night, so I returned to the Amtrak station around 9pm.
To make a long story short, my train was late getting to New Orleans, and did not arrive until approximately 6am the following morning. Being Amtrak, Amtrak did not offer any accommodations; they just closed their office and told everyone to stay in the train station until the train arrived. It started raining torrentially around 10pm so I had to stay in the train station; otherwise I would have gone and had some more fun with the New Orleans nightlife.
This was not as bad as it sounds, though, as there is a police station staffed 24 hours a day in the train station, and all kinds of other interesting travelers were present (some stranded; some not).
I met a man from East Asia (I forget exactly which country he was from as this was a couple years ago) who saw me messing around with my cell phone and came to ask me a technical question about US cell phone networks, but we soon got into casual conversation. He was in America to visit a friend of his from Louisiana whom he had met in his home country a couple years prior. We had a great series of conversations about each other's lives and countries, and he even ended up speaking with my grandmother on the telephone when she called to see how I was doing. (She is a great "worrier," bless her heart, and she was worried that this guy was all alone in a train station in America for a couple hours until his friend came to pick him up.)
Eventually, around 12:30am, his friend had gotten off of his 2nd shift job and came to pick him up, but after that I met a delightful British woman and her son. Her son was absolutely obsessed with computer and cell phone technology, and his mom was obviously tired of hearing about the topics. I, on the other hand, am also a huge nerd, especially when it comes to computers and telephony, so her son and I talked about these topics for hours. I also got a chance to talk to his mom about all kinds of things; culture, politics, travel and whatnot. She and her son were here on a "budget holiday" (a good idea if you ask me) and had heard Amtrak was a good way to get around the country (it can be, but not if you want to get someplace on time!). It turned out that she and her son were riding the same train as I was, so we hung out until the train finally arrived from L.A. the next morning.
Anyway, the point of the trip was not so much to visit New Orleans as it was to "see some of the country" (which you actually do when riding the train; the train usually goes quite slowly in populated places, and you literally ride through peoples' back yards as well as commercial, agricultural, and industrial districts), but the New Orleans segment ended up being by far the most memorable portion of the trip, and not just because of the annoyance of the delay!
-DrDeke
If you don't want it known, don't say it on a phone.
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